Training of Mukunda dasa (Letters, 1967 - 1968)

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 25 January, 1967:

In the morning class there are not less than 25 students and in the evening there are 30 to 50 students. And I think they are gradually understanding the philosophy seriously. Sriman Mukunda Das has in view a plot of land about sixty acres for the society and he wishes to organize our community camp there. It is very encouraging.

Letter to Devotees -- San Francisco 30 March, 1967:

I am aware that you are feeling my absence just as I am feeling the absence from you. But in the meantime this must be so and Krishna will provide for you as long as you keep chanting Hare Krishna. I want to see each and every one of you, so I am asking Mukunda to arrange my visits since he has volunteered to render this service. If any of you have any particular points you wish to discuss with me, please have Mukunda make an appointment with me for you. I am always at your service.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- San Francisco 7 April, 1967:

I am so pleased to have your association and I always thank my Spiritual Master Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja for His favor by sending me some sincere representative of Him in missionary activities in this part of the world. I came here to execute His Will and by His Grace I have so many good souls like you, Brahmananda, Satsvarupa, Hayagriva, Rayarama, Haridasa, Mukunda etc. I consider you all as representative of my Guru maharaj to help me in this helpless condition. My Godbrothers did not help me but my Spiritual Master has helped me. So do not think that I can ever forget you even for a moment. I pray to Krishna for your more and more advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Be happy and execute more and more service for Krishna and Krishna will accept you in His association.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- San Francisco 7 April, 1967:

Editing of my lectures may be a hard task for you but it will prove an examination test for you as how far you have heard me attentively. Never mind it is slow but it must be sure. You can keep a note of my activities and can wait for writing book at suitable time. I am asking Mukunda to send one copy of the presentation as he has made a presentation to Sriman Brahmananda.

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 12 April, 1967:

I hope in the meantime you have received my previous letter informing my safe arrival in New York.

Today I have received the certificates from India and the copies are enclosed herewith. Please immediately consult your Lawyer friend who wanted this certificates and do the needful. I must have now the Permanent visa otherwise I cannot go to Montreal and work will suffer very much if I do not go to Montreal by the next month. Kindly let me know what you have done in this connection and I shall wait your letter with interest.

I heard that for appointing a teacher-foreigner expert in particular subject one has to submit application with $25.00 fees and certificate of bona fides of the teacher sponsored by some American. The form I got from the office of Immigration is perhaps lying at San Francisco.

Anyway you wanted the certificate which is now obtained and now you can do the needful quickly and let me know what you have done. Please offer my blessings to all my devotees and specially Janaki Devi. Awaiting your early reply. I hope you are following the prescribed routine work for holding the classes and shall be glad to know about it.

Your ever well wisher.

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Enclosure: Copy of the certificate.

N.B. I have not heard anything about the printing affair of Bhagavad-gita.

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 5 May, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 1, 1967 and thank you very much. You will be pleased to know that yesterday at noon at the City College of New York I had a very successful meeting amongst the students. There were about 200 students present, and at the last kirtana they all danced and sung with me, and there were 20 minutes of answers and questions. This meeting was arranged by the Philosophy Dept. Chairman, so it was very nice and successful. Regarding your inquiry about the individual soul present, I think you will remember that I have several times explained that throughout the whole cosmic creation, not only in the cosmic creation, in the Spiritual World also, the individual is full everywhere, they are numberless. In the material world, the number of souls are very small. In the Spiritual World the number of individual souls are far far greater than what they are here. The conditioned souls are just like prisoners, as we have got less population in the prison house, similarly, in the material world the number of individual souls are very small. So you may understand from me that the individual souls are everywhere, means, anywhere you go within this material world there are individual living entities, in all planets in the outer space, in the water, on the land everywhere.

You have done right by attaching a lace on the mrdanga just to make it convenient playing while dancing. I request you to get more mrdangas, of course the first consignment of mrdangas and the cymbals I sent money from my personal book account but if you want more mrdangas you will have to arrange to pay. A first class mrdanga available in India is about ten dollars. I think you should get at least 4 mrdangas and teach, so that other students also can play on it, so if there are 3 or 4 mrdangas played at the park and there are about 20 pairs of cymbals then the kirtana will be more beautiful. We have to popularize this movement everywhere so if you send me 100 dollars then I can secure for you, one best harmonium and 2 mrdangas and 3 pairs of cymbals. What happened about your preparing the cymbals; if you prepare the cymbals there is possibility of being sold in New York, many pairs—so why don't you do it? But if you are not doing it then you must get it from India. It is very pleasing to hear that you are keeping the temple neat and clean, at the same time you bedeck the temple with flowers.

I am very glad to learn that you have got a technicolor movie and it is very nice that it has sound added of our voices. I duly received the photos and immigration material, but neither the photos could be offset printed, nor could I use the immigration material as sent by you. Mr. Ypslantin the lawyer is going in his own way, so he does not take this material formerly I offered, so let the matter be done in his own; there is no other way than to depend on the lawyer. Similarly in Montreal also, Janis our student, Janardana is trying for a Canadian visa. Let me see what is done.

I received a letter from your wife, Janaki. I think she is the foremost girl who is feeling my separation, so kindly inform her that I am very much pleased to learn that she is making progress considerably in Krishna Consciousness.

I have also received a letter from her sister and her brother in law, Guru das, so I am replying to them separately. I think I shall address them care of our temple and when you receive you can re-direct if they are not there.

I shall be very glad to receive some letters from you. Give me the weekly report of your activities at San Francisco. Thanking you once more, I am your ever well-wisher,

Yours,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

N.B. I learn that in the temple there are sometimes men with no work. This should not be allowed. Every one must be busy with some work in Krishna Consciousness. Idleness is not Krishna Consciousness. Please take care of this omission I shall be glad to hear from you about this.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- New York 5 May, 1967:

You are doing very nice alone, and Krishna will help you more and more. As you are managing our Montreal center, similarly, Mukunda and Haridasa and Syamasundara are also very nicely managing the center in San Francisco. I have received also one letter from Mukunda of the same date, May 1st, 1967 and he writes as follows: "I am happy to report that many more people are attending kirtana. Someone has made a beautiful technicolor movie (our first in Golden Gate Park) called 'Hare Krishna.' It has sound, our voices." I am sorry that you have no good mrdanga, but if you send me a hundred dollars as I have already written to Pradyumna I can get a mrdanga and good harmonium for you so that you can have your kirtana very nicely.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- New York 5 May, 1967:

I think some of you like yourself, Satsvarupa, Brahmananda and Mukunda and Gargamuni, Acyutananda and all of you had already cultivated this Krishna Consciousness in your past lives, now Lord Caitanya wants that this movement should be spread in the western countries, so most probably in your previous births you were all Indians and cultivated this Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Upendra -- New York 6 May, 1967:

Also I would request you to pay the rent on room in which I was staying. The Society is short of __ and therefore you can assure Haridasa, Mukunda and Syamasundara. that hence forward you should take responsibility for the rent of my apartment.

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 13 May, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter of the 9th May as well as Srimati Janaki's letter of the same date. Please convey my blessings for her and all the boys and girls in San Francisco. Since I have come to New York I have not heard anything from Jayananda Das Brahmacari (Jim). Is he regularly attending meetings. I shall be glad to hear from him. The gentleman who wrote on Meditation is Dr. Haridasa Chowdhury. You can find his name from the telephone directory.

The devotees of the temple must keep themselves engaged otherwise they cannot make progress in Krishna consciousness. The maya is very strong and as soon as there is opportunity the Maya will come and attack. Therefore every one should be very careful against the attack of Maya. And the only effective defense is remain Krishna consciousness always.

If you can prepare cymbals surely there will be good demand for it. There are many customers here already demanding it. Gargamuni is supplying them small finger cymbals and they are accepting it.

So far questions on spiritual realization and doubts in the study of the Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam may be placed before me and I shall try to solve them to my best knowledge.

Regarding publication of the Bhagavad-gita the quotations so far received are 11000 to 13000 thousand dollars. I have got about 6000 thousand dollars and I am eager to have the balance from any other source. The profit derived from record selling may be given to this fund. Gargamuni is paying me in that way. I wish that you may also follow the same principle.

Any sitar player or tabla player or any other musician invited in the temple cannot play anything except Hare Krishna. Neither any one can utilize the temple for some musical demonstration. Such things are items for sense gratification. If somebody comes in the temple to chant Hare Krishna by his musical talents he is welcome otherwise not. Please follow this principle.

Here also new youngsters are coming more and more to take interest Krishna consciousness. We require a bigger place but I do not know how Krishna will help us. There is a very nice building in this area and we are negotiating but do not know what is Krishna's plan. Hope you are all well.

Yours ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

N.B. Nandarani has sent a letter to Brahmananda asking back her Typewriter. Did you not ask her when I wanted to exchange with mine?

N.B. I have received Balabhadra & expecting Subhadra. In Montreal they are preparing there order so you may not prepare for Montreal but if possible make for Los Angeles.

Letter to Mukunda, Janaki -- New York 21 May, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter of the 17th instant. Your ardent call is responding from heart and I have decided to return to San Francisco any day after 5th June 1967. You can advise therefore the American Air Lines for booking my seat and take my instruction here when I shall start as you did it last time.

I have already received letter from Jayananda with thanks. I have received letter from all my spiritual children and I am very sorry that I could not reply them timely although I have replied some of them already. But you may announce to them that I am coming at San Francisco very soon some time in the second week of June 1967.

The pamphlet which you have sent to me is very encouraging. It is clear from the statement that some of the young men of this country are very much eager to have some spiritual enlightenment and as such this movement Sankirtana inaugurated by Lord Caitanya, is just the suitable contribution for such searching after truth. So let us take this opportunity and convince them that this movement of Sankirtana is the only means for spiritual realization, very simple and universal. In our Kirtana there is no need of so called meditation and gymnastic of bodily exercise. It is simple and can be practiced even by the small children and we have practically seen it how small boys and girls do take part in it by chanting dancing with us and what to speak of eating the delicious Krishna Prasadam.

So you can talk with the leaders of the movement to accept this common formula namely chanting Hare Krishna, dancing with it, hear the sublime philosophy of Bhagavad-gita directly from the representative of Krishna, and eat Krishna Prasada. Let the leaders be open minded and not be biased by any sectarian thoughts of religiosity. This movement is universal. We invite every one to our feast and Kirtana but when one comes into the confidence we initiate him in the process and request him to observe four principles of restrictions based on philosophy and morality. Nobody can realize spiritual enlightenment without following the principles of purity. Therefore our four principles of restriction must be adopted when one is serious about further enlightenment. I am glad that Ravindrasvarupa and Devakinandana (David) is already negotiating with the authorities and it is good that you are arranging for twenty four hours chanting in the proposed camp.

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 24 May, 1967:

Since I wrote you last an important negotiation is going on in respect of purchasing a very nice house for the ISKCON H.Q. in New York. So I may not start in the beginning of the Second week of June 1967; but I am sure to reach there by the end of Second week of June 1967. I hope this will not cause any inconvenience.

I shall be glad to hear from you. Please convey my blessings to Janaki and other girls.

Letter to Krsna Devi, Subala, Lilavati, Yamuna, Jayananda, Upendra, Malati, Gurudasa, Syamasundara, Haridasa, Mukunda, Janaki, Aunt Edna Howell -- New York 5 June, 1967:

My dear boys and girls I am so much obliged to you for your prayers to Krishna to save my life. Due to your sincere and ardent prayer, Krishna has saved my life. I was to die on Tuesday certainly but because you prayed sincerely I am saved. Now I am improving gradually and coming to original condition. Now I can hope to meet you again and chant with you, Hare Krishna. I am so glad to receive the report of your progressive march and I hope there will be no difficulty in your understanding Krishna Consciousness. My blessings are always with you and with confidence you go on with your chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 6 June, 1967:

The record which you have sent singing Sri Ram, Jaya Ram, Jaya Jaya Ram, and other Kirtana is really a new turn and we have enjoyed the record so nicely. This Narada Muni song is in your country tune and I think it will attract many more of common man to join the Kirtana so you should practice this standard Kirtana more conveniently so that during your Rathayatra festival you can have this singing with the procession.

Please inform all the devotees, boys and girls, especially Janaki devi, that I am progressing well. As soon as I get a little strength for travelling I shall come to San Francisco. In the meantime I shall be very glad to know what arrangements you are going to do for the Rathayatra festival. Make it a grand procession and unique introduction in the United States.

Please inform Upendra that I have very much appreciated his letter of service attitude. This service attitude is a great asset of revelation in Krishna Consciousness.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

P.S. Also inform Jayananda I have received his letter and the difficulties of life may come as seasonal changes but we should not be disturbed by all those difficulties. Our process is to chant and that process will gradually clear everything in due course. There is nothing to be disrupted—you should go on with your work with enthusiasm and everything will be solved. We are on the sound footing of Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 9 June, 1967:

With reference to our telephone conversation, I beg to enclose herewith three photo-offset copies of certificates.

I have come to the seashore in N.J. and am progressing well. Today I have taken a shower bath by myself for the first time since getting ill.

I am enclosing two offset copies, one from N.Y.U. and one from Slippery Rock State College, also one from Saint Fidelis College and Seminary. So far my certificates are concerned, if the originals are required I can send them, but I hope that these offset duplicates are as good as the original and I hope you will make proper use of them.

Most probably I may be able to come to S.F. by the 25th of this month.

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 10 June, 1967:

I hope you have already received my yesterday letter with enclosure of certificate of photostatted copies. The original copies are lying in my room; they could not bring them, but if you think that the same certificates will serve our purpose, and the original are needful, then I will arrange to send them somehow or other. But you must ascertain whether that certificate will serve the purpose. I am a bona fide preacher in the line of Lord Caitanya. There is no doubt about it. That is practically proved. The certificates are also there. I am very much anxious to know if this will serve your purposes and a reply by return post will give me great relief. The idea is that if I get that permanent visa, then I shall settle things up in that way. I do not mind whether I am in the U.S.A. or Vrndavana, because my life and soul is to preach Krishna Consciousness; but if you think those certificates are not sufficient for my permanent visa after consulting gentlemen like Mr. Dhar or others whom you are consulting, then I shall think of going back to India. But if I get the permanent visa,, even in my broken health I shall stay in U.S.A. and try to propagate my mission through my disciples like you, Hayagriva, Kirtanananda, and others. I don't mind whether I die here or in Vrndavana—wherever there is Krishna, that is Vrndavana. So I shall be glad to hear from you the clear position about this. That will give me relief and new energy.

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 26 June, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 20, 1967. Although I am passing through critical stages of my health, still good reports from San Francisco, Montreal, and New York are giving me life. I understand that the certificate which you were to receive by registered post was dispatched from Calcutta on 2 May by ordinary mail, and it might be missing; so I have asked Tirtha Maharaja to send another to your address. The copy of the letter addressed to Tirtha Maharaja is enclosed. Please look for the mail. I hope the certificates which you have already are sufficient; but still, this certificate from Tirtha Maharaja will be more valuable.

I have fixed up to start for San Francisco on the 5th July, and the rest remains on Krishna.

Hope you are all doing well. Offer my blessings to Srimati Janaki Devi.

Letter to Mukunda -- Vrindaban 2 August, 1967:

I have not heard anything from you since I have come back to India.

Vinod Kumar who was supposed to reach U.S.A. on visitor's Visa is not granted the same. Please see if it is possible for him to get Immigration Visa. The forms are sent herewith please do the needful & let me know the result. I am awaiting to hear from you at an early date. Improving gradually. My Blessings for all & Janaki.

Letter to Mukunda -- Vrindaban 3 August, 1967:

Yesterday I have sent you a personal note on the request of Vinod Kumar. If immigration Visa's burdensome for the Society, then don't take the risk. I think to get immigration Visa is very difficult and therefore you may not unnecessarily involve the society in it. We cannot pay him any salary at the present moment or unless we see his talents, I shall let you know later on more about it. Hope you are well.

Letter to Mukunda -- Delhi 16 September, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter of Sept. 1, I could not write you because I was busy for coming to Delhi. I am very happy to learn that Janmashtami was performed with great pomp at our temple. A similar report comes from Montreal. Regarding Vinode Kumar, I think it will be difficult for us to take him to the States. The difficulty is that Scindia Lines has recently refused to give free passage to anyone except myself. So if we want to take him there we have to spend some thousands of dollars for his passage. I don't think the society can take the risk for a person who is not very expert. I have of course a mind to see the managing director in Bombay and unless a definite arrangement is made we can drop the idea of getting Vinode Kumar in the states. So far your requisition for musical instruments is concerned you can let me know your definite proposal, how many sitars and other things you require monthly. I think your friend or Mr. Kallman in N.Y. can invest some money in this connection. I've also written Mr. Kallman separately so you can let me know your definite ideas. One sitar manufacturer is prepared to go there and manufacture sitars locally for us, but I don't think, for the present moment it is a practical program. My health is improving slowly but undoubtedly there is improvement.

Page Title:	Training of Mukunda dasa (Letters, 1967 - 1968)
Compiler:	Visnu Murti
Created:	28 of May, 2010
Totals by Section:	BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=109
No. of Quotes:	109